Ambalapuzha Pal Payasam | Rice Pudding - Pressure Cooker Method

This is one of the easiest payasam recipes; easier than semiya payasam too.. For this payasam aka kheer you can just use the ingredients that are always available in a Kerala pantry. I had seen this recipe first on Asianet during my schooldays and i had tried to memorize the recipe by creating a proportion for the ingredients. It was 1:2:3:4. It should have been 1 cup rice, 2 cup sugar, 3 pods of cardamom and 4 cup milk....but now i am not sure whether the proportion is correct, so there is no proportion measure in this recipe. It was long time ago and there is no online videos of that recipe / cookery show which used to be hosted by two ladies. So, i have arrived at the following recipe and i think the photograph stands testimony that it came out well. As i mentioned, this was an experiment and so the following recipe serves just 4. Multiply it for more...bcoz you wouldn't feel fulfilled with just one dessert bowl full of this.

Soak the rice in hot water for 15 minutes. Meanwhile bring the milk to a boil in a deep pressure cooker. Add the soaked rice with water, sugar and powdered cardamom (you can powder the sugar and cardamom in a mixie - small jar). Stir and let it come to a boil. Place the lid of the cooker and the whistle, and turn the heat to low flame. Let it cook for 25 - 30 minutes. Choose the smallest burner in your stove top so that the payasam cooks slowly. It is better to turn off the cooker after 25 minutes. Serve warm. I like to serve this payasam plain without any fruits and nuts. It is still delicious.

Rice pudding is not just specific to Kerala or India... There is an Egyptian version of rice pudding too.